The Rescue
by Merlinlover260
Summary: "You see Merlin, the dagger inside you prevents you from using magic, so you are defenseless against this." Morgana sneered, kissing him before retreating, her eyes flashing the same gold. "What?" Merlin asked himself but then gaged. The whites in his eyes shown and his back arched in pure agony as his magic exited in gold wisps before entering a awaited vial by Morgana.


_In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man, his name, Merlin._

* * *

As Arthur cut down the last of the bandits, he spun around when he heard a loud crack behind him. His eyes widened at the sight. Merlin, his Merlin, was on the ground, unconscious and unmoving. "No!" Arthur yowled as he saw a bandit with his sword raised, ready to finish off the fallen manservant.

Arthur rushed toward the bandit and plunged his sword into the enemies' stomach before kneeling down by Merlin. "Retreat!" he yelled to his fellow knights as he picked up Merlin bridal style.

Arthur noticed that the man was surprisingly light as he ran from the clearing. After about an hour, Arthur had time to stop, rest, and finally get at good look at Merlin's wound. It was red, swollen, and he was no physician, but Arthur knew that if he did not get Merlin to Gaius soon, it would get worse.

A deep sigh made Arthur look down. He saw Merlin's eyes flutter open, with the look of searing pain tinted in his dark blue eyes. "What happened?" Merlin asked, but then clutched his shoulder at the sudden memory.

"I almost lost a servant that's what." Arthur chuckled half-heartedly.

They set off again with Arthur supporting Merlin most of the way. "When we get home you're going to polish my armor. Arthur said, noticing a fallen log and he sat Merlin down gently as possible and glanced up to see a couple of bandits pass by them without seeing.

"They need to work through their anger." Merlin whispered.

"They just did, on you." Arthur replied.

The raven-haired chuckled but then cut off, clutching his shoulder. Arthur checked it again and it looked infected. They had to get back to Camelot.

"Worse, definably seen worse." Arthur reassured more to himself though.

"On a dead man." Merlin answered. "Your not going to die Merlin, don't be such a coward."

Arthur warned. "If I do die, will you call me a hero?" Merlin asked.

"Probably, but you're a loyal servant and friend, not at all cowardly." Arthur said.

"Thank you, for saving my life." Merlin whispered.

"You'd do the same for me." Arthur replied, knowing that it was true and that if it meant that if Merlin had a choice between him or Arthur dying, Merlin would not hesitate to sacrifice himself.

* * *

Morning came and Arthur's head shot up at the sound of twigs snapping with the fluttering of a bird in flight. He glanced over at Merlin, whose face was ashen, and was struggling to stay awake.

"I'd say we stay here, but any moment we will be at the feet of mercenaries." Arthur explained while standing, and sheathing his sword.

Merlin held back a cry of agony as Arthur threw him over his shoulder. "Leave me." Merlin whispered.

"Now's not the time for jokes." Arthur warned.

"Please leave me." Merlin whispered again.

"Sure, whatever you say." Arthur said, ignoring his friends protest and heading off.

They got to a hollow with huge boulders scattered here and there and made their way through. Arthur glanced up to see bandits heading their way with swords drawn. With no time to waste, Arthur sat Merlin down gently and unsheathed his own sword while going to fend them away.

He disposed of them quickly, and spun around to see even more coming! Merlin watched through halfway slit eyes as Arthur battled the foe. He turned his head as he saw more bandits coming. With all his might, Merlin rose up and whispered foreign words as his eyes flashed weakly gold. Arthur stood his ground, not ready to go down without a fight, when a landslide of all things started to block Merlin from view.

"Merlin!" he cried, as the rocks made there decent, cutting him off from his friend. Merlin dropped down in exhaustion and was vaguely aware of arms grabbing him as he faded into darkness.

* * *

Merlin, from his realm of darkness woke gasping as freezing water dumped on him. He glanced up to see that his arms where suspended above him in chains but they where no match for his magic though. As he felt his magic bubble up inside of him, a sinister voice stopped him in the process.

"Don't even think about it Merlin." Said the voice from the shadows.

A figure emerged from the shadows to reveal itself as Morgana.

Before Merlin could say anything, Morgana plunged a dagger deep into his stomach and he hissed in pain as he felt the blade pulsate from within the wound with dark magic.

"Or should I call you Emrys." Morgana hissed.

"We where friends once Morgana, why?" he asked only to be rewarded by a stinging slap across the cheek.

"Friends, Friends poison each other?" Morgana snapped. Merlin was at a loss of words at that remark.

"What would Arthur think? If he found out that you had magic?" She asked, running her smooth fingers across his cheek while circling him.

"He wouldn't care!" Merlin retorted defiantly, but then grit his teeth in pain again as Morgana forcefully grabbed a fist full of raven hair and tilted his head back to face her.

"I think he would, you have forgotten that Uther was murdered by the hands of magic, but that was you." Morgana mocked.

She threw his head forward and Merlin hung his head in defeat.

"Oh, don't look sad, I'm sure Arthur will be here and when he does, I will kill him slowly, painfully." Morgana sneered.

"Enough!" Merlin growled, shooting his head up and his eyes flashed gold at the attempt to use magic, but nothing happened. Merlin's eyes knitted with confusion and Morgana answered his question.

"You see Merlin; the dagger that is in you blocks all your magic, so you can't stop me from doing this." The witch said and then kissed him before retreating and her eyes flashing gold.

"What?" Merlin whispered but then gagged.

The whites of his eyes shown and his back arched in agony as his magic life force came from his nose and mouth in gold wisps. Morgana waited with an open vial and the magic floated into it. She corked it and put it on a string around her neck. Merlin slumped back, unconscious.

"Pity, you will soon die without your magic." Morgana sneered and then reached down and with one mighty tug, wrenched the dagger free.

* * *

With Arthur, he had found his knights and was steadily making their way back to where he had last seen Merlin.

"It was a landslide you say?" Gwaine asked.

"Yes, ironic isn't it?" Arthur said, thinking back to when those boulders fell on that exact moment.

"You think it was Morgana?" Percival asked, stating the obvious.

"I do, and when we find her she is going to burn at the stake for what she has done to him." Arthur growled.

They got to the fallen boulders and Arthur signaled to his knights to stop. Arthur intakes a breath when he sees a figure on the ground, unmoving. Merlin lay bruised and beaten with his jaw slackly open.

Arthur ran over to where his friend lay with his fellow knights following close behind him and kneeled down by the raven-haired and lifted his head ever so gently. Arthur shook him lightly, trying to rouse him. Merlin's eyes fluttered beneath his eyelids and then opened slowly.

"Arthur?" he asked, winching in pain.

"You're alright." Arthur sighed, breathing relief.

"Arthur, I have to tell you that I'm…." Merlin tried to say, but Arthur quieted him.

"Rest now Merlin, right now we have to get you back to Camelot." Arthur replied and Merlin simply nodded and hung his head back in unconsciousness.

"Percival!" he called to the giant knight and he simply nodded before gathering Merlin in his strong arms and Merlin dropped his head on that bare shoulder where it lolled against it.

Arthur glanced over to where Merlin panted with fever with Percival and Gwaine were looking at him in concern.

"Let's get back to Camelot." Arthur demanded to his knights.

They all nodded and where about to leave, when all of the sudden they where stopped by a voice behind them.

"Where do you think you're going?" they heard. They spun around to see Morgana Pendragon standing by them.

"Morgana." Arthur whispered, unsheathing his sword with all his knights doing the same thing and standing with a tight circle around Percival, who was clutching their wounded comrade protectively.

Morgana just simply smirked and then grabbed the vial in her fist around her neck. In Percival's arms, Merlin gasped and started to choke.

"What type of enchantment have you put him under?" Arthur demanded, rushing over and desperately trying to calm him.

She dropped the vial and Merlin settled down. "He hasn't told you have he? Personally I think if he told you, you wouldn't hesitate to have him executed." Morgana said.

"What are you talking about?" Arthur demanded.

"Why my dear brother, Merlin is a sorcerer." She sneered.

"No, that's not true." Arthur whispered, half believing her.

"You think I'm lying, see for yourself." Morgana said and closed her eyes before opening them, once emerald green burning deep gold.

In an instant, Arthur saw all that Merlin had done for him since he arrived in Camelot. All the times that he had to save his life, other men getting credit for his all doing, and most of all, all of the times that Merlin had been willing to sacrifice himself. Realization struck him hard, for he realized that his father was wrong, magic was not pure evil, it was person who used it. Another thing hit him; Merlin was his guardian angel that his father was telling him about all those years ago.

"So, are you going to kill him or not? Because I heard from a certain someone that he is my destiny and my doom." Morgana said.

"No." Arthur whispered.

"What? What did you say?" she demanded.

"No! I realized that Merlin has done everything for me and from this day forward I pronounce him my Court Sorcerer." Arthur said defiantly.

"Arthur?" he heard someone whisper.

He glanced over too see Merlin awake in Percival's arms. "

I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before, I was too frightened. I can't change who I am, I was born with it." he explained.

"I don't want you to change Merlin, and I realize that you have always protected me in good times and bad. Thank you for all you have done for Camelot." Arthur reassured.

"Your welcome and thank you for realizing that magic can be used for good." Merlin said, slowly dropping back into Percival's arms and closing his eyes with relief, nodding off.

"No, this wasn't my plan at all." Morgana said in horror.

"It's over Morgana." Arthur growled, standing protectively in front of Merlin, his sword outstretched in front of him.

"No, this has just begun." Morgana hissed and let her eyes flash gold.

All of the knights flew back through an unseen force. Merlin was whipped harshly from Percival's arms and landed on ground with a thud.

"Let's finish this once and for all." Morgana growled and clutched the vial, starting to preach in old religion.

Merlin arched his back in agony and thrashed about, convulsing in shear pain. Arthur regained his bearings and got to one knee.

"Arthur!" he heard and snapped his head at the sound of his voice.

He saw that Morgana was standing over Merlin, inflicting torture upon his already weakened body.

"Arthur, she had control of my magic! Grab the vial from her neck and uncork it!" Merlin yelled.

"Be quiet!" Morgana hissed levitating Merlin and putting her hand around his neck and Merlin started to gasp for air.

With not a second to spare, Arthur dashed over to Morgana. She saw him at the last second and threw her hand up to stop him, but not before Merlin snapped the cord from around her neck and tossed it to Arthur.

"No!" Morgana screeched and threw Merlin across the clearing where he slammed roughly into the fallen rock wall and slumped down, unmoving.

"Your times up Morgana." Arthur growled, going to uncork the vial, but then Morgana crashed into him, the vial shattering on the hard packed earth.

From across the clearing, Merlin breathed in and then ceased breathing all together. Morgana stood and glanced over to where Merlin was unnaturally still.

"Ha! I guess Merlin isn't my bane after all!" Morgana laughed.

"You're wrong Morgana. Merlin is your bane." Arthur replied standing and plunging his sword deep into her stomach.

"He just had help." Arthur hissed and wrenching it free.

Arthur sheathed his sword, grabbing the shattered remains of the vial and rushed over to his fallen friend. He gathered the sorcerer in his lap and gently lifted his head. He uncorked the vial but nothing happened. Arthur tried to make Merlin look at him, but the raven head simply lolled back with nothing to support it. He tried everything; shaking him, whispered words of encouragement to wake him but nothing worked. For once in his life, Arthur felt torn. His heart was shattered. Arthur felt like if the coin that described them so clearly had been wiped clean of Merlin's side, leaving a coin that was no longer whole. Arthur tilted his head up to the sky and cried out in sorrow for Merlin his sorcerer; best friend; other half; was gone, and he would never return. While unknown to Arthur though, a tiny spark of magic dripped off the ragged glass and floated up to where it disappeared into Merlin's mouth. When his voice grew hoarse, Arthur dropped his head back down and did the one thing he had not done since his father died. He cried. Arthur cried over Merlin the sorcerer, Merlin the manservant, no, Merlin his best friend. A tear fell onto Merlin's cheek and Arthur's eyes widened when they flickered. Then, with surging hope inside of Arthur, those deep blue eyes opened slowly.

"Merlin?" he asked in disbelief.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, glancing around.

"Never do that to me again!" Arthur demanded, suddenly serious.

"You're a prat, you know that? And a royal one." Merlin laughed.

"Its good to have you back Merlin." Arthur whispered.

"Good to be here." Merlin replied.


End file.
